The reasoning behind such a move is that the government feels that the cases were slapped because of 'political' reasons.

File photo of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. (Getty Images)

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government is going to withdraw around 20 thousand 'politically-motivated' cases registered against ministers, legislators and others in the state, CM Yogi Adityanath said in the Assembly on Thursday. A law to that effect will be brought in soon.

Sources in the government say the process to collect details about such cases which come under the now defined 'political' category has already begun.

The reasoning behind such a move is that the government feels that the cases were slapped because of 'political' reasons.

The law department has been asked to prepare the list of such cases. As per UP Chief Minister's statement in Vidhan Sabha, the list of such cases is expected to around 20 thousand. As per the legal procedure, it's ultimately on the trial court whether to accept government's plea in a particular case or not.

The announcement came on the day the treasury and the opposition members were engaged in heated arguments over the proposed bill for UP control of organised crime act (UPCOCA).

Though Chief Minister's promise saw positive response in Vidhan Sabha, outside political parties are cautious in their approach on the matter.

Congress's head of state Media cell, Virendra Madan, said: "It needs to be seen what government actually means by political cases. Possibility is that the move can be aimed at also bailing out BJP workers and leaders from cases of serious crime."

The CPI wondered if this was an attempt to help criminal politicians.

CPI(M)'s state secretariat member Prem Nath Rai said: "In Principle we agree that politicians are often targeted with false and unjustified cases. But government needs to come out with clear details on the issue. There should be no attempt to help criminal politicians in the garb of this move."

BJP's state general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak urged the opposition to not be narrow in their outlook.

"UP government's decision should be welcomed by opposition parties. There is no need to be suspicious about its move. Chief Minister's statement is a proof that BJP government is committed to strengthening democracy and political discourse," said Pathak.